§8INSISTENDVM ESSE ET PERSEVERANDVM IN FIDE ET VIRTVTE ET CAELESTIS AC SPIRITALIS GRATIAE CONSVMMATIONE VT AD PALMAM ET AD CORONAM POSSIT PERVENIRI.
In Paralipomenon: Dominus uobiscum est, quamdiu estis uos cum ipso.
¦ ¦ THAT WE MUST INSIST AND PERSEVERE IN FAITH AND VIRTUE, AND IN THE CONSUMMATION OF HEAVENLY AND SPIRITUAL GRACE, THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ATTAIN TO THE PALM AND TO THE CROWN. ¦ ¦ In Chronicles: "The Lord is with you, as long as you are with Him.
si autem dereliqueritis eum, derelinquet uos. item aput Ezechiel: iustitia iusti non liberabit eum in quacumque die exerrauerit. item in euangelio Dominus loquitur et dicit: qui perseuerauerit usque in finem hic saluus erit. et iterum: si permanseritis in uerbo meo, uere discipuli mei estis et cognoscetis ueritatem et ueritas liberabit uos. praemonens quoque nos paratos semper esse debere et expeditos in procinctu firmiter stare adiecit et dicit: sint lumbi uestri accincti et lucernae ardentes et uos similes hominibus expectantibus dominum suum, quando ueniat a nuptiis, ut cum uenerit et pulsauerit aperiant ei.
But if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." Likewise in Ezekiel: "The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in whatever day he shall go astray." Likewise in the Gospel the Lord speaks and says: "He who endures to the end, he shall be saved." And again: "If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Admonishing us also that we ought to be always prepared and ready, and to stand firmly in battle array, He added and says: "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and you yourselves like men waiting for their lord, when he comes from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him.
felices serui illi quos adueniens dominus inuenerit uigilantes. item beatus apostolus Paulus, ut fides nostra proficiat et crescat et ad summum perueniat, hortatur et dicit: nescitis quia qui in stadio currunt omnes quidem currunt, unus tamen accipit palmam? sic currite ut occupetis: et illi quidem ut corruptibilem coronam accipiant, uos autem incorruptam. et iterum: nemo militans Deo obligat se negotiis saecularibus, ut possit placere ei qui se probauit.
Blessed are those servants whom the lord when he comes shall find watching." Likewise the blessed apostle Paul, that our faith may make progress and grow and reach the highest, exhorts and says: "Do you not know that those who run in a racecourse indeed all run, but one receives the palm? Run in such a way that you may obtain. And they indeed to receive a corruptible crown, but you an incorruptible one." And again: "No one serving as a soldier for God entangles himself in secular affairs, that he may please Him who approved him.
sed et si certauerit quis, non coronabitur, nisi legitime pugnauerit. et iterum: oro ergo uos, fratres, per misericordiam Dei ut constituatis corpora uestra hostiam uiuam, sanctam, placentem Deo: nec configuremini saeculo huic, sed transformemini in renouatione sensus ad probandum quae sit uoluntas Dei bona et placens et perfecta. et iterum: sumus filii Dei: si autem filii, et heredes, coheredes autem Christi, siquidem conpatimur, ut et conmagnificemur. et in Apocalypsi eadem loquitur diuinae praedicationis hortatio dicens: tene quod habes, ne alius accipiat coronam tuam. quod exemplum perseuerandi et permanendi designatur in Exodo, ubi Moyses ad superandum Amalech qui figuram portabat diaboli in signo et sacramento crucis adleuabat supinas manus, nec uincere aduersarium potuit, nisi postquam stabilis et in signo adleuatis iugiter manibus perseuerauit.
But even if anyone contends, he is not crowned unless he contends lawfully." And again: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God; and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed in the renewing of your mind, to prove what is the good and pleasing and perfect will of God." And again: "We are children of God; and if children, then heirs—heirs indeed of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." And in the Revelation the same exhortation of divine preaching speaks, saying: "Hold fast what you have, lest another receive your crown." Which example of persevering and remaining is designated in Exodus, where Moses, to overcome Amalek, who bore the figure of the devil, was raising his hands palms-upward in the sign and sacrament of the cross; nor could he overcome the adversary, unless after he persevered, stable and with hands continually raised in the sign.
et factum est, inquit, cum leuabat* manus Moyses, praeualebat Israel: ubi autem submiserat manus, inualescebat Amalech.
"And it came to pass," he says, "when Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he let down his hands, Amalek prevailed.
et accepto lapide subposuerunt sub eo, et sedebat super eum.
But when they took a stone and put it under him, he sat upon it.
et Aaron et Ur sustinebant manus eius hinc et inde: et factae sunt manus Moysi stabiles usque in occasum solis.
And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, on this side and on that; and the hands of Moses were made stable until the going down of the sun.
et fugauit Iesus Amalech et omnem populum eius.
And Joshua put Amalek and all his people to flight.
et dixit Dominus ad Moysen: scribe hoc, ut sit memoriale in libro, et da in aures Iesu, quoniam deletione deleam memoriam Amalech de sub caelo. §9AD HOC PRESSVRAS ET PERSECVTIONES FIERI VT PROBEMVR.
In Deuteronomio: Temptat Dominus Deus uester uos ut sciat si diligitis Dominum Deum uestrum ex toto corde uestro et ex tota anima uestra et ex tota uirtute uestra. et iterum aput Salomonem: uasa figuli probat fornax et homines iustos temptatio tribulationis. Paulus quoque paria testatur ac loquitur dicens: gloriamur in spe claritatis Dei.
And the Lord said to Moses: 'Write this, that it may be a memorial in a book, and deliver it to the ears of Joshua, for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.'" ¦ ¦ THAT PRESSURES AND PERSECUTIONS HAPPEN TO THIS END, THAT WE MAY BE PROVED. ¦ ¦ In Deuteronomy: "The Lord your God tempts you, that He may know if you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." And again in Solomon: "The furnace proves the potter's vessels, and the temptation of tribulation righteous men." Paul also witnesses and speaks of similar things, saying: "We glory in hope of the glory of God.
non solum autem sed et gloriamur in pressuris scientes quoniam pressura tolerantiam operatur, tolerantia autem probationem, probatio autem spem: spes autem non confundit, quia dilectio Dei infusa est cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis. et Petrus in epistula sua ponit et dicit: carissimi, nolite mirari ardorem accidentem uobis qui ad temptationem uestram fit, nec excidatis, tamquam nouum uobis contingat.
And not only so, but we glory also in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and hope makes not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us." And Peter in his epistle lays down and says: "Beloved, do not wonder at the heat that happens to you, which is for your trial, nor fail, as though some new thing happened to you.
sed quotienscumque communicatis Christi passionibus, per omnia gaudete, ut et in reuelatione facta claritatis eius gaudentes exultetis.
But as often as you communicate in the passions of Christ, rejoice in all things, that also in the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exceeding joy.
si inproperatur uobis in nomine Christi, beati estis, quia maiestatis et uirtutis Domini nomen in uobis requiescit, quod quidem secundum illos blasphematur, secundum nos autem honoratur.
If you are reproached in the name of Christ, blessed are you, because the name of the majesty and power of the Lord rests upon you, which indeed according to them is blasphemed, but according to us is honored."